Intensive negotiations between the main parties preceded the vote.

投票之前，主要政党间进行了深入细致的磋商。

The earthquake was preceded by a loud roar and lasted 20 seconds.

地震之前有一声巨响，持续了20秒钟。

Industrial orders had already fallen in the preceding months.

工业订单在前几个月就已减少了。

He gestured to Alice to precede them from the room.

他示意艾丽斯从房间里出来走在他们前面。

Look at the information that precedes the paragraph in question.

请看正在讨论的这段文字之前的信息。